IM8 Daily Ultimate Essentials Pro is an all-in-one daily supplement by Prenetics Global, with David Beckham and Giannis Antetokounmpo as backers. The product combines 90 nutrients in a single daily scoop, and is marketed as a replacement for 16 separate supplements.
But does IM8 Daily Ultimate Essentials Pro use research-backed forms of vitamins and minerals? Does it contain any unhealthy ingredients? Is it third-party tested? And is it better or worse than other popular all-in-one supplements like Huel?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in IM8 Daily Ultimate Essentials Pro to give our take on whether or not it's likely to be effective, and whether or not it's healthy.
We'll also discuss whether or not IM8 is third-party tested, and compare the supplement to other popular all-in-one supplements to pick our winners (and losers).
Key takeaways:
- NSF Certified for Sport and uses premium bioactive vitamin forms
- Multiple proprietary blends obscure per-ingredient doses
- We do not currently recommend IM8 Daily Ultimate Essentials Pro
Ingredient Analysis
The vitamins and minerals in IM8 Daily Ultimate Essentials Pro are shown below:
image source: https://im8health.com/
IM8 uses bioactive forms of most vitamins, which we consider to be the sign of a high-quality formulation.
5-methyltetrahydrofolate is the bioactive form of folate, which we consider to be healthier and safer than synthetic folic acid.
Methylcobalamin is used for vitamin B12, rather than synthetic cyanocobalamin.
Magnesium bisglycinate chelate is one of the most bioavailable forms of magnesium.
The remaining active and inactive ingredients in IM8 are shown below:
image source: https://im8health.com/
All of these complexes are listed as proprietary blends with no individual ingredient doses.
We have flagged this practice as a potential consumer safety concern across other reviews, as we documented in our Beneve review article.
The Digestive Enzymes, Adaptogens & Super Mushrooms Complex has an average ingredient dose of only 20 milligrams (mg), which is likely below the effective dosing range of any of these ingredients.
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is included at 1.5 grams (g), which is on the low end of the clinical range for joint support.
The Probiotics Complex includes Bacillus coagulans BC99 and Bacillus subtilis DE111 and provides 10 billion colony-forming units (CFU), which is in the research-backed range.
Natural flavor is a broad categorical descriptor that may encompass undisclosed synthetic solvents and preservatives, according to a medical review published in the Food and Chemical Toxicology journal.
Overall, IM8 Daily Ultimate Essentials Pro features bioactive forms of vitamins and some active ingredients within effective clinical ranges.
However, we do not currently recommend this supplement due to the use of multiple proprietary blends that obscure per-ingredient doses, and the inclusion of natural flavor.
Is IM8 Third-Party Tested?
IM8 Daily Ultimate Essentials Pro is NSF Certified for Sport, which we consider a significant positive for the brand:
image source: https://im8health.com/
NSF Certified for Sport is the third-party certification standard used by professional sports leagues and athletic organizations.
The certification screens products for over 280 banned substances and confirms label accuracy on the active ingredient list.
This certification is uncommon in the all-in-one supplement category, and it materially distinguishes IM8 from competitors in the same price tier.
The brand also states that "every ingredient and dosage is third-party tested," though it does not publish the specific lab data for consumers to evaluate independently.
IM8 vs. Popular All-in-One Supplements
Here's how IM8 Daily Ultimate Essentials Pro compares to other popular all-in-one supplements in terms of formulation quality, in our opinion:
Welleco
Welleco's Super Elixir is a premium daily greens-based multivitamin built around barley grass, which is clinically shown to support cellular detoxification.
However, Welleco contains green tea extract at an unspecified dose, which can cause liver damage at high concentrations, while IM8 does not contain green tea extract. IM8 is also NSF Certified for Sport while Welleco does not appear to hold this certification.
IM8 is the winner from a health perspective.
Winner: IM8
Huel
Huel is a popular all-in-one meal replacement with 30 grams of protein per serving. As we documented in our Huel reviews article, Huel contains synthetic vitamins and minerals at excessive concentrations (220% Daily Value iron, 378% Daily Value molybdenum), and the flavored versions contain sucralose.
IM8 uses bioactive vitamin and mineral forms at sensible 100% Daily Value percentages, and does not contain sucralose or any artificial sweetener.
IM8 is the winner from both a potential efficacy and a health perspective.
Winner: IM8
Ka'Chava
Ka'Chava is an all-in-one nutritional shake. It contains raw maca root powder, which can cause digestive discomfort because it's an indigestible root fiber when not gelatinized, and its adaptogens are dosed at an average of only 170 mg per ingredient.
Both brands include adaptogens at low individual doses, but IM8 holds the NSF Certified for Sport certification while Ka'Chava does not.
IM8 is the winner from both a potential efficacy and a health perspective.
Winner: IM8
IM8 Pros and Cons
Pros:
- NSF Certified for Sport
- Premium bioactive vitamin forms (5-MTHF, methylcobalamin, P5P, MK-7)
- Bioavailable magnesium bisglycinate
- Effectively-dosed MSM and saffron
- Research-backed probiotic strains at 10 billion CFU
- Healthier than competitors
Cons:
- Multiple proprietary blends
- Underdosed adaptogen and mushroom complex (200 mg total)
- Contains natural flavor
- CoQ10 dose not disclosed
- Doesn't appear clinically tested as a finished product
